Chair iron



Jan. 25, 1938. W* F' HEROLD I 2,106,174

CHAIR IRON Filed June l2, 1936 l H" ,f 1835 47 x r- 46 j@ L 4645 V// 49 2z 0 INVENTOR WALTER F Hmmm.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 25, 1938 muren etapas-A RElSSUED JUL15'194I gnam massaggiatrice Application June 12, 1936, Serial No. 84,837

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in chair irons, particularly for use with tilting chair seats, and usually mounted for swivelling movement upon a base support. An object of the invention is to provide a chair iron in which most of the parts may be formed of sheet metal bent to shape, which may be very inexpensively manufactured, and in which the assembly may be carried out by simple and inexpensive manufacturing methods. A furtherk object is to provide a chair iron structure in which the parts of the structure which are subjected to strain will besupported by other parts in a manner to prevent any breakage or distortion thereof. Another object is to provide a chair iron in which the resilient means may be in the form of a resilient rubber block, or may be in the form of a helical spring, without otherwise altering the structure of the iron, and lfurther to provide such resilient means which may be readily replaced by the user of the chair in the event of damaging, deterioration or breakage.

With the above and other objects in View embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a chair iron embodying the present invention, end portions of the spider arms being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation, the spider arms being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View, portions of the spider arm being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig..5 is a perspective view of two of the frame parts of the structure in separated relation.

Fig. 6 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section of a modified form of the invention, in which the resilient element is in the form of a helical spring.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, the chair iron, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention, comprises a pair of angular cross-section spider arms i-It adapted to be screwed to the under side of the chair seat in the usual manner, and which are mounted for tilting movement upon the fixed part of the chair iron structure, as will presently more fully appear.

The spider arms are rigidly connected in separated relation by means of a Spanner element, preferably formed of sheet metal, comprising a top portion Il' of rectangular outline provided at each side with right angularly bent flanges l2--l2 secured by rivets i3 to the sides of the spider arms, there being aligned holes lli-lli and lE-IE in the sides of the spider arms and in the anges i2-I2 for receiving the shaft hereinafter more fully described, for tiltably connecting the spider arms to the fixed part of the chair iron.

The fixed part of the chair iron is rigidly mounted upon the upper end portion i6 of a vertically disposed spindle ll whichr is screw threaded and mounted for vertical adjustment in the supporting base member I3, the vertical adjustment being accomplished by means of the nut I9. As these vertical adjustment parts form no part of the -present invention, but are of well known construction, a further detail description of them is not deemed necessary. y

The fixed part Vof the chair iron structure comprises a pair of channel shaped sheet metal N members 2i! and 2l, the member 20 being of U- shape in cross-section, and the member 2l being of inverted U-shape in cross-section and fitted within the member Zil, to which it is rigidly secured by means of rivets 22 engaging holes 23 and 24 respectively in the sides of the members 20 and 2l. The transverse portion of the member 26 is provided with an aperture 25 engaged by the upper end portion i6 of the post ll, and the transverse portion of the member 2! is provided with aperture 2S engaged by the reduced stud portion 2l formed upon the upper end of the portion i6 and headed over, as at Z8, to thus rigidly secure the members 2li and 2l upon the post.

The sides of the member 2li extend abovethe transverse portion of the member 2l and are provided with apertured bearing portions 29u29, preferably embossedl outwardly, and through which is engaged the tilting mounting shaft 35i, the ends of this shaft being engaged in the apertures It and l5 of the spider arms and spanner member l l and being secured thereto by the head Si upon one end of the shaft and a riveted over head 32 upon the other end. The sides of the member 26 are also provided with forwardly projected inclined arms 33-33 provided upon their upper surfaces with forward stop portions lid-3d against which the Spanner member ll l in the non-tilted position of the chair ""he upper edges of the side #uber 2G are also provided at their rearward ds with downwardly inclined stop portions 35, against which the Spanner member' is a pted to engage at the limit of the rearwardly ti ted position of the chair seat, it being under-- stood that the resilient element, presently to be more fully described normally retains the chair c t in non-tilted position, the chair seat being tilted against the pressure of the resilient means.

The mc viber El iS provided at the forward eri o its transverse portion with an extension a bent into an upwardly inclined plane and w. ch constitutes the upper supporting head oi the resilient eiement. The extension 3G is engaged and supported by the undersides of the arms :i3-33, the rearward edge portions ofthe extension being notched, as at B'l-S'L to clear the forward edges of the sides of the member 2i).

A slightly elongated hole 38 is provided in the extension through which the rod 39 of the resilient element extends. This rod is provided at upper end with a head 40 below which there is a squared portion lli, which is engaged in a slot provided in the Spanner member Il, outwardly embossed rounded pillar portions S3-53 being provided at each side of this slot upon which the head 4l) rockingly engages. The rod 3J is screw-threaded at its lower end, as at M, and extends through the central aperture l5 of plate t6, and between this plate 46 and the extension 3S there is disposed a cylindrical re- Silient rubber block 41, having a central passage 53 herethrough in which the rod`39 is engaged. e washer 49 and an adjustment and retaining nut t are provided upon the threaded end of the rod for retaining the plate 46 and cylindrical rubber element in place. Also by adjusting the nut 5t the initial tension in the rubber block may be adjusted as desired, so that more or less force will be required to tilt the chair seat against the pressure of the rubber block.

In operation the Spider arms and Spanner member are tilted by the rearward pressure exerted by the person seated in the chair, this pressure causing the spider arms'and the Spanner member to tilt about the axis of 'the shaft Sil pulling the plate 46 toward the extension 36 and compressing the rubber block.V rt will be noted that the pressure exerted upon the extension 3S is taken upon the arms 33-33, so that there is no tendency for the extension 35 to bend with respect to the member 2l, even though the latter may be constructed of relatively thin metal.

In Fig. 6, I have Shown a modied form of the invention, in which a helical Spring 5! is employed as the resilient element instead of the rubber block 4l. In this case the extension member 35 is preferably provided with a circular recess 52 for positioning the upper end of the spring and the plate d@ is provided with an embossed circular rib 53 which positions the lower end of the spring. In this illustration I have also Shown a modified form of pivot or rocking support for the upper end of the rod 5S, and which consists of an apertured rubber block Ed disposed upon the upper side ci? the Spanner member il above the Slot di?, the Spanner member being provided at its forward end with an upwardly bent Bange 55 for retaining the rubber block. It will be understood that this type of rubber support may be used in the embodiment iilustrated in Flgs. l to 5, and that the embossed e as 'l' egim support illustrated in.Figs. l to 5 may be used .in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent iszl. In a chair iron structure, a supporting post, a frame rigidy mounted on said post, a pair of spider arms, a Spanner member rigidly connecting said spider arms in spaced relation, said spanner member having a slot, an apertured rubber block disposed at the upper side of said Spanner member, its aperture registering with Said slot, joint means connecting said spider arms and spanner member to said frame for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, an apertured resilient element supporting head rigidly connected to said frame, a rod engaging said slot of said Spanner member and the aperture of said block and extending through said apertured head, a head on said rod resiliently supported by said rubber block, a resilient element supporting base adjustably mounted on said rod in spaced relation to Saidhead, and resilient means disposed about said rod between said headv and said base.

2. In a chair iron Structure, a supporting post, a frame rigidly mounted on said post, a pair of spider arms,.a Spanner member rigidly connecting said spider arms in spaced relation, joint means connecting Said Spider arms and Spanner member to said frame for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, said frame comprising a U- Shaped frame member, a second frame member secured between the sides of Said rst frame member, forwardly projecting arms forming a continuation of the sides of said U-shaped frame member adapted to engage said Spanner member in the non-tilted position of said spider arms, stop means on said arms adapted to engage said Spanner member to limit the tilted position of said spider arms, a forwardly projecting integrally formed apertured resilient element supporting head on the transverse portion of said Second frame member engaging the under Sides or" said arms, a rod rockingly connected to Said Spanner member and extending through Said apertured head, a resilient element Supporting base adjustably mounted on said rod in spaced relation to said head, and resilient' means diS- posed about said rod between said head and Said base.

3. In a chair iron structure, a supporting post, a frame rigidly mounted on said post, a pair of spider arms, a Spanner member rigidly connecting said spider arms in spaced relation, joint means connecting Said spider arms and Spanner member to said frame for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, said frame comprising a U- Shaped frame member, an inverted U-shaped member secured between the sides oi Said U- shape member, forwardly projecting arms forming a continuation of the sides of Said U-shaped fra-me member adaptedto engage said Spanner member in the non-tilted position of said Spider arms, Stop means on Said arms adapted to engage said Spanner member to limit the tilted position of said spider arms, apertured resilient element supporting head integrally formed on the transverse portion of said inverted U-Shaped member engaging the under sides of said arms, a rod rockingly connected to Said Spanner member and extending through said apertured head, a

resilient element supporting base adjustably mounted on said rod in spaced relation to said head, and resilient means disposed about said rod between said head and said base.

4. In a chair iron structure, a supporting post, a frame rigidly mounted on said post, a pair of spider arms, a Spanner member rigidly connecting said spider arms in spaced relation, joint means connecting said spider arms and spanner member to said frame for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, said frame comprising a U -shaped frame member having an aperture in its transverse portion engaged by said post, a second frame member secured between the sides of said first frame member and having an aperture in its transverse portion also engaged by said post, said post being secured with respect to said apertures against vertical displacement, forwardly projecting arms on the sides of said U-shaped frame member adapted to engage said Spanner member in the non-tilted position of said spider arms, stop means on said arms adapted to engage said spanner member to limit the tilted position of said spider arms, a forwardly projecting integrally formed apertured resilient element supporting head on the transverse portion of said second frame member engaging 'the under sides of said arms, a rod rockingly connected to said Spanner member and extending through said apertured head, a resilient element supporting base adjustably mounted on said rod in spaced relation to said head, and resilient means disposed about said rod between said head and said base.

` WALTER F. HEROLD. 

